Brian Payne

Mon, May. 26th, 2008, 09:00 am Natty Dreadlocks and The Bear #143

Hi Brian, I got caught up on all your past Natty Dreadlocks and The Bear posts and I have to tell you on Feb 7, 07 I started doing a comic journal.(weird huh?) I am not the artist you are but I think my journal helped me get through a down time in my life. I was on 2 anti anxiety drugs, 2 high blood pressure medications and a cholesterol medication. I didn't like being on all these drugs and being overweight so on 5-14-07 I quit eating sugar and in about 8 months I lost 50# and got my blood pressure normal.(I take my own blood pressure everyday.) So without my doctors guidance I started weaning myself off all these drugs. My journal documents this journey and it was ugly. But I think my journal helped me get through it. I just say this because in one of your past posts you were asking if anyone wanted to read about you and wondering what you were trying to accomplish and say. Just keep on drawing for your own health and well being because I bet you have inspired some souls out there not to mention your own well being (could you not draw?) As far as that one guy who told you it wasn't funny, he is as Hillary says "taking it out of context", if he was just reading one or two posts he isn't really seeing the whole piece of work and shouldn't be criticizing your work without seeing the whole canvas. Comics don't have to be funny, I think art should make you laugh, cry and/or make you think. Your work does all that, and it all flows together into a picture of your life (2 as 1) and it DOES all flow into a message of humor and important political issues and most important love.

I'd like to see your comic someday. My wife (the nurse) is impressed by your weight loss and says to tell you congratulations on getting your blood pressure under control. I need to follow your example and quit the sugar. I'm afraid to go to a doctor myself as I'm afraid of what I may find out.My critics can't deter me from drawing even though I am awfully critical of myself. However, I have been feeling the need to work on my western comic and other stories. So, I may stop doing the daily strip soon but even if I do I'll continue to post art of some kind on here on a daily basis. Thanks for the kind words concerning my comic and feel free to ramble as much as you'd like, anytime you want too.